To Take the Fall
by HPpercygirl
Summary: Four breaks up the attempt to throw Tris into the chasm and takes her to his room. Mostly based from the movie. One-shot.


**Mostly Four's thoughts. Based on the movie. Same scene. Different dialogue because I can't remember things like that. Other details may vary. Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent.**

Rage. Rage is the only thought I have. It powers my body, thrusts my arm forward as I punch the initiate hard in the jaw. His head snaps back and I attack again. Once, twice, three times, and he's down. I move to the next one, the one whose face is uncovered. Al. He's down quicker. Coward. The third one takes a few more hits and collapses. I'm tempted to kick him into the chasm but stop myself.

I look around, searching for Tris. She stands back against the wall, her chest heaving with each breath. I kick a leg out of my way and go over to her. She was wide eyes and a few cuts but looks… okay, considering there was just an attempt on her life.

"Come on," I say. I don't bother reaching for her. She follows me wordlessly. I lead her to my room and motion to the bed. "You'll be safe here." She doesn't respond to me, and I don't expect her to. After making sure she's settled I go to my dresser and grab a sweater, which I hand to her. "Here. Put this on." Her shirt is ripped in all the wrong places and I'm sure it makes her uncomfortable after what just happened.

She pulls the sweater over her head with a "thank you." I go to my sink and fill a bowl with water, grab a rag and go back to kneel in front of Tris.

"Don't worry about Al." I look up at her, but she's staring down at her hands and doesn't respond. With a small sigh I wet the rag and dab it onto the cut on her hand. She sucks in a breath and grabs my hand. I hate the way that my heart gives a few almost-painful thuds against my chest at her touch. "Sorry," I mutter.

Her hand slowly falls away and I continue to clean her cut. "He's a coward."

"He tried to kill me."

I nod slowly and wet the rag again. "He's scared. You're beating him in the rankings. He won't make it through initiation."

I glance up. Tris is shaking her head.

"How does that feel?" I ask, letting go of her hand.

"Good. Thanks."

I stand and pick up the bowl. "You can stay here tonight. I'll take the floor."

"Thanks," Tris whispers. I nod. Suddenly a whole wave of words threaten to spill out, but I just wordlessly watch her relax onto the mattress before turning out the lights and laying down on the carpet next to the bed.

It doesn't take very long for Tris' breathing to even out and signal to me that she's fallen asleep. I lay on my back and stare up at the ceiling, my hands pillowing my head. My hands are starting to sting in the aftermath of the fight I ended, but I welcome the pain as a reminder of being brave for the right reasons. Tris is safe. I didn't realize until tonight how important that was to me.

It's a strange thing. She always intrigued me, since she was First Jumper. A Stiff. Abnegation, like me. We have a lot of similarities like that. She was an Abnegation, child of a city official. A Dauntless initiate. She changed her name to start over in a new place.

She's brave. Better than me. I asked her on the Ferris wheel if she was even human, and I wonder that again. I've wondered it before, too. The way she's climbed up the rankings so fast – I've never seen anyone do that. Tris is determined and strong in a way that most Dauntless don't appreciate now. But I can see it. And it's incredible.

I sit up and look at Tris' sleeping form. She looks years younger and peaceful, her hands clasped by her head and her lips parted slightly. Her hair's a mess, though that's probably from the murder attempt. It's kind of hard to imagine that this girl that's asleep on my bed can hold her own against the other initiates. She seems fragile. Harmless.

I think there might be a part of her that is fragile. But I have a feeling that it's a part of her that she'd never show anyone. Even tonight, when her friend tried to kill her, she was okay. Anyone else would have been done. But she trusted me enough to fall asleep right there, twenty minutes after she almost died.

It's insane. I've thought about her more than I'd ever admit, yet I still can't figure her out. I'm almost sure she's Divergent. She has to be, with the way she manipulates her simulations. I almost asked her about it tonight, but it wasn't the right time. She probably wouldn't even tell me. She doesn't know that I am too.

I watch her for a long time even though I know I shouldn't. Eventually I fall asleep to the sound of her breathing. In the morning I wake up before she does and take a shower. I step back into the room just as she's standing up from the bed. Obviously, she wasn't counting on me walking in before she could escape from the room.

"Good morning," I say.

"Morning," she replies, running a hand through her hair.

I take a seat at my desk and put on my boots. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright. Thank you."

I look up at her and give a nod. "Good luck. Be careful."

"I'll be fine."

"That's not what I meant."

She looks at me and I see a warning flash in her eyes. I know she knows what I'm talking about. But as I expected, she doesn't acknowledge any unsaid secrets between us. She doesn't trust me like that yet.

"I should go."

I know it's useless to try to convince her to stay so I just nod and wave my hand toward the door. She leaves without a word. I can't help but notice that I like the way she looks in my sweater.

After she's been gone for a moment I let myself relax. A groan of frustration escapes my lips and I lean back in my chair.

I don't know how, and I don't know when, but I know that girl is going to kill me some day.


End file.
